Pocket prescription-scale.



No. 645,091. Patented Mar. I3, I900.

R. w. 'HARMONJ POCKET PRESCRIPTION SCALE.

(Application. flled Dec. 5, 1899.)

{No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

ROBERT \VALLAOE HARMON, OF LOCKI-IART, MISSISSIPPI.

POCKET PRESCRHPTIGN-SCALE.

SIPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,091, dated March 18, 1900.

A li ati fil d December 5, 1899. Serial No. 739,280. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT WALLACE HAR- MON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lockhart, in the countyof Lauderdale and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Pocket Prescription-Scale, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in pocket-scales.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of pocket-scales and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one adapted to fold compactly within asmall case and capable of automatically springing into operative position when the case is opened.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is-a perspective view of a pocket prescription -seale constructed in accordance with this invention and shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, the case being closed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of connecting the catch and the locking-lever.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a shallow case composed of a body 2 and a lid 3, hinged to the body at one of the side edges thereof and adapted to be thrown open automatically by a spring 4 when a catch 5 is released. The catch 5 may be of any ordinary construction, and the spring 4, which opens the lid 3, is secured at one end in a longitudinal recess 6 of the rear side of the body 2, and it curves upward when the case is open, as shown in Fig. 1, one end of the spring being free and adapted to engage the lid. lVhen the lid is closed, the

spring is compressed within the recess and it does not interfere with the closing of the lid.

\Vithin the case, at one end thereof, is arranged a transverse pintle 7, which passes through eyes 8 of a folding post or standard 9, and the latter is adapted to swing upward to a vertical position against the adjacent end wall of the case, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The eyes 8 are arranged adjacent to the side edges of the standard 9, and a coiled spring 10 is disposed on the central portion of the pintle between the eyes and is provided with arms 11 and 12. The arm 11 bears against the inner face of the standard, and the arm 12 engages the bottom of the case, whereby when the standard is swung downward Within the box the spring will be compressed and will operate to swing the standard upward automatically when the case is opened. The upper end is provided With a bifurcation 13, and it has bearings 14 for the reception of a knifeedge pivot of a scale-beam 16, which is adapted to fold down upon the standard, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and the knife-edge pivot upon which the beam is balanced is also the pivot upon which the beam folds. The outer arm of the scale-beam is provided with suitable graduations 17, and it has a weight 18 sliding on it, its outer end 19 being turned to limit the outward movement of the sliding weight. The sliding weight is provided with a central index or pointer 20; but it may be of any other desired construction.

The inner arm of the scale-beam fits in a socket 21 of a scale-pan 22, which is adapted to be readily removed from and replaced on the inner end of the scale-beam, whereby its contents may be handled with greater facility. Instead of detachably connecting the scale-pan with the inner end of the scalebeam by means of a socket arranged as illus trated in the accompanying drawings the socket may be reversed and arranged on the scale-beam, or any other means may be employed for accomplishing this result.

The scale is locked within the body of the case when it is folded by hand by means of a pivoted locking-lever 25, fulcrumed between its ends at 26 and provided at one end with a log 27, arranged to engage over the edge of the standard, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. The other end 28 of the locking-lever is connected with the catch 5, and when the latter is operated to open the case the lug is withdrawn from engagement with the standard and the latter is released, so that it may be thrown upward by the spring.

In order to enable the operator to readily ascertain when the scale-beam is at the poising-point or in exactly a horizontal or balanced position, a pair of indicating points or projections 31 and 32 are provided and are mounted, respectively, on the beam and on the standard. The point or projection 81 depends from the scale-beam at the pivot and the other indicating point or projection extends upward from the bottom of the bifurcation of the standard. \Vhen the scalebeam is in a horizontal position, the points or projections 31 and 82 are opposite each other and in such close proximity, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, that the position of the scale-beam may be readily seen at a glance.

The case is adapted to receive a foldable spatula 29, and other articles may also be placed in it without interfering with the operation of the scale.

It will be seen that the prescription-scale is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to fold compactly within the case, and that the pivot on which the scale-beam is fulcrumed serves as a pivot for folding the parts. It will also be apparent that when the scale-beam is swung downward within the case preparatory to closing the same it will be held in such position and that when the catch 5 is operated the case will be opened automatically and the scale will be similarly released and swung upward. Also as the scale-pan is detachably connected with the inner end of the scalebeam, it may be readily removed and replaced and enables its contents to be handled and emptied from it with great convenience and without liability of losing any of the material.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

lVhat is claimed is- 1. A device of the class described comprising a case, a standard hinged to thecase and arranged to fold within the same, a scalebeam pivoted to the standard and arranged to fold against the same, and a spring arranged to throw the standard in an upright position when the case is opened, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a case, a standard hinged to the case at one end thereof, a spring engaging the standard and adapted to spring the same upward, when the case is opened, and a scale-beam fulcrumed on the standard and adapted to fold downward with the same, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a case, a standard hinged within the case at one end thereof, a spring disposed on the pintle of the standard and arranged to swing the latter upward, and a scale-beam pivoted to the standard and having its pivot arranged parallel with the pintle of the said standard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A device of the class described comprising a case, a spring-actuated standard hinged to the case, a scale-beam pivoted to the standard, alocking device arranged within the case in position for engaging the standard, and a catch for holding the case closed, said catch being arranged to release the locking device, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a case having an automatically-opening lid, a catch for holding the lid closed, aspringactuated standard hinged to the case, a scalebeam pivoted to the standard, and a lockinglever fulcrumed between its ends and provided with a lug arranged to engage the standard to hold the same in its folded position, said locking-lever being arranged to be engaged by the catch, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. WALLACE HARMON. lVitnesses:

M. WEsrBRooK, O. O. PIGFORD. 

